Nigeria Vs Argentina: Messi gets free role

Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella said ahead of today’s International friendly with Nigeria that his team bears no grudge against the Eagles for the 4-1 humbling last June in Abuja.

Sabella stated that though his team will be all out to play and win, but revenge was not in their minds.

“I don’t think revenge is a good word. It’s not good for human beings. It’s not good for anyone. It’s a football game and we’ll try to win,” he said.

“It’s a different game. It’s a different country. A neutral country. We don’t have too much time to prepare. I am a new coach. I just started to know all the players and the players started to know me,” he added.

He added that he was banking on Lionel Messi to inspire the Argentine team to a win.

“We must let him be happy. We must let him play completely freely on the pitch,” Sabella, 56, said at a press conference after arriving in Bangladesh on the second leg of the side’s short South Asian tour.

Messi set up the goal of their 1-0 win against Venezuela last Friday.

Sabella said Messi would repeat his prolific scoring feats at Barcelona for Argentina once he had settled in as national captain.

“I am waiting for him to score. We must give him the tranquility. He is the best player in the world,” Sabella said, as his side prepares for World Cup 2014 qualifiers starting next month.